Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 29: The Power Development Department’s tariff revision proposal for the 2013-14 financial year has drawn flak from cross section of society during the public hearings conducted by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) recently at Jammu as well as Srinagar. Keeping in view the general mood against the PDD, the Commission may approve nominal hike and change slabs in all categories in order to avoid burden on the consumers.
Sources told EXCELSIOR that the tariff revision proposal of the PDD for the next financial year seeking 10% to 20% hike received sharp criticism during the public hearings conducted at Jammu on March 18 and at Srinagar on March 20, 2013.
“The common ground behind opposition to the tariff revision proposal of PDD by the cross section of the society was that neither the department has improved power supply nor it has fulfilled the commitment made with the consumers regarding round the clock uninterrupted power supply in the 100 per cent metered areas”, sources said.
“The hoteliers, industrialists and the representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of both Kashmir and Jammu provinces stressed that the power revision proposal of the PDD must be rejected out-rightly by the SERC as the department has continued with unscheduled curtailments that too without any intimation in advance”, sources further said, adding “they also told the Commission that every year burden is being put on all categories of consumers but the power supply has not improved despite tall claims of the authorities concerned as such there was no justification behind hiking the tariff”.
They further conveyed to the SERC that majority of the consumers were in the favour of getting their connections metered but before that the Department must give an undertaking to the Commission that it will ensure round the clock uninterrupted power supply in such areas. “It was also pointed out during the public hearing that PDD was suffering losses mainly because of its failure to contain Transmission and Distribution losses as such people should not be burdened for the follies of the department”, sources said.
“Keeping in view the criticism of PDD’s tariff revision proposal, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission has decided to exercise prudence before taking decision on the department’s petition”, sources said, adding “though the Commission has decided not to out-rightly reject the proposal in view of increased power purchase cost, it will try to ensure that not much burden is put on any category of consumer”.
In response to a question, sources said, “the Commission may order nominal increase in the power tariff for all categories of consumers. There is every possibility of Commission changing slabs in all the categories”. The Commission will take decision on PDD’s power tariff petition within next few days and the notification will be issued in the first week of April.
In the petition, the PDD has projected annual revenue requirement of Rs 5179.63 crore for 2013-14 financial year as against Rs 5000.43 crore in 2012-13 financial year.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Power Development Department has proposed average 10% to 20% hike in tariff for 10 categories —-domestic, non-domestic/commercial, State/Central Government departments, agriculture, public street lighting, public water works, LT/HT industrial supply, HT PIU and bulk supply.
The average hike proposed for unmetered consumers is more as compared to average hike proposed for metered consumers in same category.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel